Michael Breggar has written the "Auto-Magic" column in The Linking Ring for several years. The purpose of the column is to provide professional and practical magic that is sleight-free (or very close). The cliches about "self-working magic" pronounce that this allows the magician to concentrate on the performance, but Michael contends that since the performance is the effect, the tricks need to be clever, layered, deceptive, and most of all, entertaining. While some methods require sleights, performance is always more important.

Several of the tricks in The Five Roads to Vegas are re-edited versions of the most commented upon and most requested tricks from The Linking Ring column. The title effect was published in Genii Magazine and has been used successfully as an opener in many professional acts. The rest are all new and published here for the first time.

While Michael takes you through each effect with careful descriptions and well-crafted patter, you will soon fit each effect to your own style.

What’s In the Book?

The Five Roads to Vegas. A great opener with lots of audience participation. You play the role of a Vegas croupier dealing cards to a "poker team" of five spectators. As you deal down cards from a shuffled deck, the five "players" yell STOP at any time. The cards they stopped at randomly comprise a royal flush. But wait… you have predicted which of the five players would stop at which of the five royal flush cards! And as an extra surprise, the other 47 cards in the deck are blank!

CONTENTS CONTINUED

Three Numbers and a Lady. A "triple prediction" effect that solves the issue of the typical "weak" third prediction. There’s a nice twist at the end that no one sees coming.

Coin-Seyan Economics. "Miraskill" meets Steinmeyer meets John Maynard Keynes. What starts as a funny lecture in Global Economics (yeah, really!), turns into a stunningly, multi-phase prediction effect. Great for stand-up and stage.

Drawing on Emotions. The drawing duplication effect that Michael uses in his parlor and stage acts. Can easily be adapted for close-up and walk-around. It is direct, clear and limitless. Above all, it is organic and doesn’t feel like "a trick."

A Principle in Search of an Effect. A bare-bones prediction effect is used here to illustrate a little-used principle that has Gilbreath DNA. Readers are invited to turn their imagination spigots on high to make this a miracle.

Monopoly-S-P. "The cure for the common bored game." A fun mentalism routine right off your game shelf.

Self-Fulfilling Prophesy. Takes Bill Simon’s wonderful "Prophesy" move to a new level. Not only is it sleight-free, but it is performed in the spectator’s hands!

Three Spies and the Extraction. A performance piece that puts the "Self-Fulling Prophesy" in motion with a cool story about spies and international intrigue. Le Carre would appreciate the ending!

Absolutely ACAANY. A self-working "Any Card at Any Number" effect that received more highly favorable emails and comment that any other effect in the "Auto-Magic" column. As a bonus, Michael details THREE additional sleight-free ACAAN versions never before published.Plus, two short essays reflecting on the Zen of sleight-free magic and Michael’s opinions on why it is so important in the magic oeuvre, provide must-read bookends.

47 pages, photo-illustrated. Intro priced thru 7/10!